Automatic mine-door.



J. C. ALLAN.

AUTOMATIC MINE DOOR.

I APPLICATIONFILED AUG,15\19I6. 1,242,411 I. latented Oct. 9,1917. 4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

m k Q I. C. ALLAN.

AUTOMATIC MINE DOOR. APPLICAHON FILED AUG.15, 1916.

Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. C. ALLAN.

AUTOMATIC MINE 000R.

APPLICATlON FILED AUGH ISFIQIG- Patented Oct. 9,1917.

J. C. ALLAN. AUTOMAHC YMIN'E' DOOR.

AP PLICATIDN FILED AUG.I5.1916. 1242,41 1, Patented 00 5. 9,1917.

4 SHEETS -SHEET 4.

a o 24 672 f MAW/"4 0 6 JAMES, o. ALLAN,

. nroivrarro MINE-DOOR.

Leeann.

Application filedAugust 15, 1916. Serial No.115,052.

To all whom it may concern; 7

Be it known that 1, JAMES C. ALLAN, 'a' citizen of the United Riddlesburg, in the county of Bedford and State of Pennsylvania, have. invented ,cer, tain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Mine-Doors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention contemplates an improved mine door and has as its primary object to provide a construction wherein the ,door will be automatically opened by a mine car, motor or locomotive approaching the door from either direction and wherein, upon the passage of a car through the door, the said door will be automatically closed.

The invention has as a further object to provide an arrangement wherein the door will be positively openedupon the approach of a car and held open until the car, motor or looomot-ive has passed through the door and wherein the door will normally beposirively held closed.

A still. further object of theinvention is to provide an improved operating mechanism for the door. 7

And the invention has as a still further objectto provide an arrangementQwherein the door will be effectually cushioned upon the closing of the door.

Other and incidental objects will appear as the description proceeds and in the drawings wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

a Figure 1 is a plan view of the doorand illustrating the operating for at one side of the door,

Fig. l is a similar view illustrating th operating mechanism at the opposite side of the door,

F ig.- 2 is a planview particularly illustrating the connection between the sections of the door and illustrating the said sections moved to open position, Y I

Fig. 3 is a detailperspective view showing the door closed and illustrating the crank arm employed for opening and closing the door and the engagement-between the said arm and one of the sections of the door, 7 v i Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view particularly illustrating the mounting of the com- Specification of L etters Patent. 1

States, residing at lovers of the said mechanism therei roar;

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Patented not. 9, i917.

bined cushi'oningiand sealing'strip for the door,

.Fig. 5 is an end tion and particularly showing supporting bracket employed for the rock shaft of the door operating mechanism,

1 Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view illustrating the mounting of the operating bars or mechanism,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentaryperspective view showing the type of'hinge connection employed at coacting ends of the operating levers, and 4 1 Fig. 8' is a fragmentary plan view show ing the coacting ends of the said levers con+ nected. I

My improved door may be employed in connection with a mine track of any corn ventional type and in the drawings I have illustrated such a track at 10. Mounted adjacent the outermost rail of the track is a guard rail 11, this raill being arranged to prevent the lateral shifting of a mine car upon the track when thewheels of the car engage the levers of. the door operating mechanism employed, as shall be presently described. Arranged to; extend over the track is a door frame including vertical side members '12. These members are preferably formed of suitable channel iron as particularly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings and extending inwardly from the said side members, at the topof the door, is a laterally directed substantially V-shaped' headpiece 13 preferably formed of angle iron and 7 connected to the side members 12 in any suitable-manner. 1

The door is formed of coacting sections Hand 15 respectively hingedly mounted upon the side members 12 of the door frame and arranged to abut the head-piece 13 with the free edges of the door meeting 'to-close the door opening. Connected to the outer face. of the head piece 13 is a channel strip 16 of the type illustrated in Fig. 4 of the elevation partly in secdrawings. The side members 12 of the door the type of bit) inner edges of the sections of the door as well as with the upper marginsthereof for cushioning the door section's when m'eved" to closed. position as well as to provide a tight oint between the door sections and the door frame to prevent the passage of air through the door. li'Ll-ounted upon "the section 1% of the door is a hinge bracket 19 While a similar hinge bracket 20 mounted upon the. door section 15. Pirotally mountedupon the brackets 19 and 20 is a connecting rod 21 which is form-ed of sections adjustably connected by a sleeve 22 operable for regulating the normal relative position of the door sections ll and Mounted upon the outer side of thedoor section to project laterally therefroni'is an obliquely arranged link having its lower extremity arranged adjacent the free longitudinal edge of the said door section and inclined upwardly with its upper end arranged adjacent the opposite longitudinal edge of the said section on the door. The puroose of this link .Wlll presently appear:

As Will now be best observed upon reference to Figs. 1 and 1 of the drawings, con tain of the ties upon opposite sides of the door are extended atone side of the track 10 and mounted upon the outer extremities of the said ties are a plurality of shaft hangers 9A of the general type illustrated'in detail in Fig. 5 of the draivings.

Botatably mounted upon the said. hangers to extend parallel with the traclr 1G is a rock shaft 25 projecting upon opposite sides of the .door. The rear legs of the terminal hangers are, at points below the rock shaft provided with bearings 26 supported as more particularly shown in 5 of the drawings, by auxiliary legs Mounted in the said bearings are suitable stub shafts to Which are connected rock levers 28. Connected to the extremities of the rock shaft are depending crank arms and pivotally connecting the said crank arms with the upper extremities of the lovers 28, are links 30.

Mounted to extend longitudinally of the track 10 upon opposite sides the door are pairs of coacting operating levers, the corresponding levers of each pair being desig nated 31 and 32 respectively. The outer-- most lerers 31 are, at their outer extremities, loosely connected to posts 33 mounted upon adjacent ties of the track 10 While the meet:- ing ends of the levers 32 are pivotally mounted upon a similar post 34 arranged adjacent the door. Supporting the said pairs of levers intermediate the ends thereof, are a plurality of stools or brackets mounted upon the adjacent ends of the ties of the track with the inner extremities of the said brackets connected, as more particularly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, to the outermost track rail. The brackets 35 are of a height substantially equal to that of the outermost rail of the track to suppor the inner; extremities of the levers 31 and 32 'necting the coacting ends of the levers 31 and 32 of each pair of the said levers is a hinge joint of the type illustrated in detail in Fig. 7 of the drawings. This joint includes an element 31 secured to the upstanding flange of the adjacent lever 31 and provided with spaced hinge lugs "38. Secured to the upstanding flange of the adja cent lever 32 is an element having an arm 41-0 projecting laterally from the inner extremity thereof with the said arm adapted to fit between the hinge lug 38 of the element 3'? and provided with an opening for receivin a pivot pin l1 passing through the said hinge lugs a through the sad arm for swingingly connecting the levers. Fivotally connecting tie outr e emities of the arm d0 of the said hinge t the lower extremities of the rock levers upon the terminal hangers 524;, are connectrods 4-2 which are formed in sections adjustably connectedby sleeves e3 operable for regulating the normal position the inner extremities of the pairs of levers 31 and with respect to the outermost rail of the track.

Connected to the rock shaft 25 adjacent one extremity thereof, is a counterpoise 43 having a dash-pot A: associated therewith and connected with the said shaft opposite the door section 15 tending toward the is a crank arm as exsaid door section and provided at its free extremity with an up standing post or lug l- 6 engaging freely Within the link 23, the purpose of this linl' now being apparent. The crank arm 45 i adjustable circumferentially of the shaft 2 for regulating the normal position of tie sa 1d arm ivithln the link 28 and is mounted to travel in a plane at an acute angle to the said link.

As Will be observed, the pairs ofoperat ing levers 31 and 32 are, when the door is closed, arranged to project in normal posi tion over the ut -:rii'iost rail of the track 10 for engagement with the wheels of a car passing over the said track and to which position, the said levers are normally urged by the counterpoise 13. A. car approaching the door upon tl? track 10 in the direction of the arrow upon l of the drawings, will first engage the outermost operating lever 31 of the pair of said levers arran ed upon the adjacent side of the door to sliift quently, through the medium of the adjacent connecting rod 42 rock: the lever 28. Movement of this lever wi1l,'in turn, as will be, clear, rock the shaft 25 to raise the counterpoise 13 and rotateor lift the crank arm upwardly. Upward movement of the crank arm 45 will, in turn, cause the lug 46 thereof to ride upwardlv within the link 33 upon the door section 15 to swing the said door section outwardly upon its hinges. Outward movement of the door section 15 will, through the mediumof the connecting rod 21 be communicated to the door section 14 so that upon the shifting of the said operating lever 31 oy the car as the car advances toward the door, the sec: tions of the door will be simultaneously swung to open position. In this connection, it will be noted that the hinge bracket 19 upon-the door section 14 is located outwardly a considerable distance from the pivotal axis of the said door section, while the hinge bracket 20is located immediately adjacent to the pivotal axis of the door section '15.; 1 Consequently, when the hinge bracket 20 is swung in anarcuate path upon the door section 15, it will operate upon'the hinge bracket 19 upon the door section 14 through the medium of the connecting rod 21 to move the said door section 14: to open iosition, 'Closin movement of -the door section 15 will, of course, in asimilarmanner act to closethe door section 14.

The car after having-passed over the out, ermost operating lever 31 when travelingin the direction indicated will then engage the adjacent operating lever 32 to hold, the

door open until the car, haspassed through. the door when it will then contact with the operating lever 32 upon the opposite side of the door to continue to hold the door open.

Thus, should there be a train of cars passing through the door, the door would be held open until the last car of the train has passed the door.-

The car upon having passed the last mentioned lever 32 will then pass the adjacent outermost lever 31 when the counterpoise 13 will immediately act upon the shaft 25 to swing the crank arm 45 downwardly for closing the door and at the same time, shifting the pairs of levers'31 and 32 upon opposite sides of the door to normal position projecting over the outermost rail of the track ready for engagement with the next car passing over the track. In this connection, attention is directed to the. fact that the counterpoise as is arranged to normally act upon the shaft 25 for urging the crank arm 45 toward the door section 15 and consequently holding the door closed, it being understood, of course, that the dash-pot 14 is arranged to cooperate with the cushioning element 18 upon the door frame for ,cuslr ioning the :doorsections Hand 15 upon the movement thereof to closed position. 'As' will now be clear, ,in viewof the preceding description,,a car passing over the track 10 toward the doorin the direction of the are rowlupon Fig.1 ofathe drawings will act upon "the aic'ent pairv of, operating levers 31 and32 in aniannersim'ilar to that previouslydescribed. with reference to, the other pairof saidlevers for opening the door when. the car, after having passed through through the door, the said door. will be au- 1 I tomaticahy closed. Furthermore, it will be seen that I provide anarrangement wherein the door will be positively movedto open position and'willalsobe positivelyheld in closed :position;

' Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:' W v. 1

1. A- device ofthe character described including a door, and an operating mechanism therefor, said mechanism including a pair of coacting operating levers operable by a car approaching the door, supporting. brackets forsaid levers, anti-friction bearings ca ried by the levers for engagement with said brackets, a:- crank arm operatively engaging the door, and an operative connectionbe tween the said crank arm andv the said lovers 1 for shifting the said arm to open the door upon the actuation of thelevers. 3 2. .A1device of the character described cluding a door, and an operating mechanism therefor, said mechanism including a pair. of co'ac'ting operating levers operable by a car approaching the door, a rock shaft, a crank arm carried by said shaft and operatively engaging the door, a counterpoise carried by the shaft and normally acting thereon to hold the door closed, a dash-pot associated with said counterpoise, and an operative conother of said levers and provided with an arm received between said lugs, and a pivot pin extending through the lugs andth-rougn said arm for pivotaily "connecting the levers, and an operative connection between said arm and the door for opening the door upon the actuation of the said levers.

a. A device of thecharae'ter described in cluding a do'or,'and an operatingmechanism therefor, .the said mechanism including a pair of'coacting operating levers operable by a car approaching the door, a rock shaft, hangers for said shaft, a stub shaft carried by-one of said-hangers, a rock lever mounted upon saidstub shaft, a crank arm'carried' by the rock shaft, a link connecting said crank arm with said rock lever, a second link-ad justa b-ly connecting the said first mentioned levers with the said'rock lever, and an operative connection between the said rock shaft and the doorfor opening the door upon the actuation of thesaid'operating levers.

5. A device of the character described'ineluding a door frame, a door mounted upon the frame and normally projecting angula'rly therefrom, a link mounted upon the door and inclined upwardly thereon in a direction from the free edge of the door toward its inner edge, a pair of coacting operating levers, a rock shaft, a horizontally arrangedcrank arm extending substan tially parallel to the door frame and 11orinalily an acute angle to the plane of the door with the said arm engaging in the lower extremity of said link, and an operative connection between the said levers and the said shaft for swinging the said crank arm within the said link to open the door upon the actuation of the said levers.

6. A device of the character described in eluding-a door, and an operating mechanism therefor, said inechanism including a pair of coacting operating levers, a rock shaft thereby, and an operating 'mechanism for V the door, the said mechanism including a pair of coacti-ng operating levers, a rock shaft, a horizontally arranged crank arm carried by said shaft and freely engaged with said link with the arm normallyextending at an acute angle to'the door and movable upwardly to slide within the link from the lower extremity thereof toward the upper extremity of the said link for openingthe door, and an operative connection between the said levers and the said shaft for swinging the said crank arm.

8. A device of the character described including a door, and an operating mechanism therefor, said mechanism including a pair of operating levers, a rock shaft, a horizontally arranged crank arm carried by said shaft and slid'ably connected with thedoor with the said arm movable upwardly for opening the door, an operative connection between "the said shaft and the said levers, and means acting upon the shaft for normally urging the crank arm'to a position with the length thereof disposed in a horizontal plane with the said shaft and bearing at its inner extremity against the door for holding the door closed.

In testimony w'hereofI aflix my signature.

JAMES c. ALLAN. 1,. 3.

Sopies of this patent may be'ootained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 'D. C. 

